Japanese financial services firm
Orix Corp will buy Dutch asset manager Robeco from its
owner Rabobank for about 240 billion yen ($2.6
billion) in a cash and stock deal, sources familiar with the
matter said on Friday.

Japanese financial services firm
Orix Corp will buy Dutch asset manager Robeco from its
owner Rabobank for about 240 billion yen ($2.6
billion) in a cash and stock deal, sources familiar with the
matter said on Friday.

The companies are scheduled to sign and announce the deal
early next week, said the sources, who were not authorised to
discuss the matter publicly.

The deal will be the biggest acquisition ever by Orix, a
diversified financial services company whose businesses include
leasing, life insurance, real estate and corporate lending, as
well as a professional baseball team.

Under the deal, Orix will pay Rabobank in cash and its own
stock, the sources said. Orix will not issue new shares for the
deal. As the result of the transaction, Rabobank will own around
2 percent of the Japanese company's shares.

Rabobank will retain about a 10 percent stake in Robeco,
whose management will remain in place after the acquisition, the
source said.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc advised Orix on the deal, JP
Morgan was the adviser for Robeco and Barclays Plc
advised Rabobank.

Japanese banks, brokerage houses and life insurance
companies are increasingly looking to acquire overseas asset
management businesses, which are considered a relatively stable
source of revenue compared with more volatile trading
operations.

Rabobank, a Dutch cooperative bank that is returning to its
roots lending to local farmers, said last April it was reviewing
strategic options for Robeco after it lost its triple-A credit
rating from Standard & Poor's in November 2011.

That is a great effort, but the Japan's Orix should have good plan and predication for the Asset Management growth. There will be some problems that may occur, so good analysis and expectation for the development will be the key-figure for success and risks reduction.